I would LOVE to try one of the older Ricky's with a thin neck. All the ones I've ever played have been pretty similar in feel, with minor variations in thickness / width. It'd be a trip to play one with a thin neck.
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NVBD '71 Ric 4001
- Thread starter Morgan Koren
- Start date
I would LOVE to try one of the older Ricky's with a thin neck. All the ones I've ever played have been pretty similar in feel, with minor variations in thickness / width. It'd be a trip to play one with a thin neck.
That's what sold me on it. I've briefly owned a v63 reissue , '13 4003, three Univox copies, and a Greco Ric. None of those really felt right. The thinner neck plus no neck-dive makes me think this could be 'The One'.
I guess i'm not all that affected by the neck shape/size,my '74 4000 has the thinnest neck,and of course i really like it,but my 4 4004 variants all have different shapes,and i like playing all of them,too. Even the clubby ones....the neck feel does bring out variations in my playing,which i think is a good thing.
This is a cool bass. I'm certain that the replacement bridge came from a Fender Mustang bass. All the screw holes match, as does the shape:
If you don't want to keep it on the bass (I would!) then it will be worth something to somebody with an old Mustang out there.
I'm pretty sure that is a '70s Rickenbacker pickguard given the shape, and old pickguards are sort of translucent on Ricks. I've seen some where you can see the routing underneath the pickguard in a blurry way through the material. Rick basses lost the clear thumb rest around 1973, which doesn't fit the timeline of the bass, so it could be an old replacement.
As for the Metallica and Bush stickers, those bands shared the bill three times in 1997: Pukkelpop Festival in Belgium, The Blindman's Ball in London and the Reading Festival in Reading, England (August 22nd, 23rd, 24th). Quite a few other bands to choose from between those three, so it might be a challenge tracking down a previous owner.
If you don't want to keep it on the bass (I would!) then it will be worth something to somebody with an old Mustang out there.
I'm pretty sure that is a '70s Rickenbacker pickguard given the shape, and old pickguards are sort of translucent on Ricks. I've seen some where you can see the routing underneath the pickguard in a blurry way through the material. Rick basses lost the clear thumb rest around 1973, which doesn't fit the timeline of the bass, so it could be an old replacement.
As for the Metallica and Bush stickers, those bands shared the bill three times in 1997: Pukkelpop Festival in Belgium, The Blindman's Ball in London and the Reading Festival in Reading, England (August 22nd, 23rd, 24th). Quite a few other bands to choose from between those three, so it might be a challenge tracking down a previous owner.
PicsPrice or it didn't happen
Nahhhhhh. I paid a few hundred more than I wanted to, but the seller threw in an old Japanese drum kit at no extra charge
. It had probably been there longer than the bass.
This is a cool bass. I'm certain that the replacement bridge came from a Fender Mustang bass. All the screw holes match, as does the shape:
If you don't want to keep it on the bass (I would!) then it will be worth something to somebody with an old Mustang out there.
I'm pretty sure that is a '70s Rickenbacker pickguard given the shape, and old pickguards are sort of translucent on Ricks. I've seen some where you can see the routing underneath the pickguard in a blurry way through the material. Rick basses lost the clear thumb rest around 1973, which doesn't fit the timeline of the bass, so it could be an old replacement.
As for the Metallica and Bush stickers, those bands shared the bill three times in 1997: Pukkelpop Festival in Belgium, The Blindman's Ball in London and the Reading Festival in Reading, England (August 22nd, 23rd, 24th). Quite a few other bands to choose from between those three, so it might be a challenge tracking down a previous owner.
Gold post !!! I'm totally getting rid of that bridge if it's worth anything at all. And even if the pickguard is genuine, the cut is pretty crappy and there's almost no wood showing on the neck-side of the bridge surround. Sad !!!
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I'm with you on that. Got a price quote of around $35 Canadian for an Allparts pre-74 pickguard. I figure it will take at least a month to get it shipped in, so I'll wait and see if I'm keeping the bass before I order it.
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I think it's actually 5-8 degrees on 4003 models, but who's counting! If you can put the bass on a flat table, bass backside down, and the headstock either barely touches, or doesnt touch the table at all, it's 5 degrees. If it does touch, its probably 8 degrees. Most production basses with headstock angle are 8 degrees or more.
Don't order the All Parts guard! They're made of ABS, and the holes will not line up! The guard on there now looks like a 90's V63 guard. Pickguardian makes the correct guard in the correct acrylic material.
Okay. What about buying from Ric's site ? I heard they'll sell the parts if you give them a serial first. Or maybe that's just for a t.r.c. ? I don't know.
RIC does not sell the original guard. Pickguardian is the only source. I've made them for a few customers, but I've always had an old cracked guard to use as a template.
Yeah, the Allparts PG is cheap, sharp edged plastic, and the neck pup hole is a hair too small for current hi-gains. Pickguardian made me a very nice white pearloid one, had a little flaw, so they replaced it with no fuss. Safest route is alway to trace existing guard and screw holes, a lot of variation over the years.
I love that bass, had a 72 4001FL years ago, very similar to yours except for jetglo and was a fretless. The cap doesn't make it any more bright, just cuts lows out of it, they sound much fuller with the cap bypassed but just as bright. That cap almost single handedly sunk Rickenbacker in the late 70's in my opinion anyway.
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